


As the World Falls Down

by Rachie_xx



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, I tried to make it as period accurate as possible, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Rated T for Trashmouth, Sleepovers, mixtapes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-31 07:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21119702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachie_xx/pseuds/Rachie_xx
Summary: The Losers have a sleepover in the hideout and Eddie and Richie bond in the hammock————-Or Richie makes Eddie a mixtape





	As the World Falls Down

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my ex boyfriend who thinks my writing is shit and cheated on me. we broke up on my birthday after he told me he never loved me. super big thank you. :) 
> 
> songs and commercials credited in the end.

It was a warm August dusk when the losers had arrived at the hideout. A couple specks of white stars shone brightly behind the gentle fog of the nighttime clouds. The breeze blew gently, allowing a warm gust of wind to lazily russle the leaves of nearby trees. The losers had decided that it was a perfect night for a sleepover. Bill Denbrough was the ringleader behind the idea. As the school year approached, he had recommended the idea that they have as many sleepovers as possible before they had to focus on their education. This was becoming quite difficult seeing as the kids all had different schedules. Mike had already began homeschooling and so he couldn’t come as often, Eddie’s mother would only allow him to spend the night occasionally, and Bill had speech therapy appointments quite often. This didn’t stop the kids from enjoying themselves though. Tonight everyone had managed to make it besides Mike, which saddened the group, but it couldn’t be helped seeing as it was a Tuesday. 

Richie descended the ladder to the dirt hide-out, his dark blue backpack slumped over his shoulder. As his dirty black converse touched the ground, he eyed his surroundings. Ben, Stan, and Eddie were sitting on the ground in a circle, all laughing among themselves cheerfully. Beverly was smoking a cigarette near the bottom of the ladder. As she blew the smoke toward the entrance, Bill stood next to her, talking frantically.

“It’s b-been stuck in my he-head all d-day!” Bill was laughing as he spoke, attempting to feign annoyance. “It’s me-mean of you to keep doing the-that.” He added, crossing his arms.

Beverly laughed into her hand. “Oh my gosh!” Bits of dead ashes flew onto the ground, flying in between the cracks of the wooden panels. “It’s a cat food commercial! You don’t even have a cat!” Her laugh was warm and smooth, flowing like honey and filling the air like a song.

Richie instantly knew which commercial Bill was talking about. “Purina Cat Chow!~” He sang off tune, adding to the joke. “You can depend on Purina Cat Chow!~” The way Bill’s face scrunched in light frustration brought a smile to his face.

“Cat Ch-Chow! Ch-Ch-Chow Chow!~” Bill sang the rest of the chorus before him, Richie, and Beverly all chuckled in amusement.

As the threes’ laughs chimed through the space, it caught Eddie’s attention. As he lifted his gaze, his honey brown eyes met Richie’s chocolate, magnified by the large coke-bottle glasses that rest upon his visage. They stared for a couple seconds before Eddie tore his gaze away, choosing to turn his attention toward Ben and Stan. He wasn’t quite sure what they were talking about anymore and he felt awkward trying to fit into the conversation. After a moment of mental debate, he decided to join his other friends. 

Richie had thrown his backpack onto the hammock, next to a black backpack. He instantly recognized it as Eddie’s. Though he didn’t really care.

“Richie no!” Eddie shouted, quickly making his way over to the hammock. “I put my stuff there! It’s mine!” He defensively crossed his arms, staring up at the taller. His mouth had formed a pout as he furrowed his eyebrows.

“You had it the last time we were here.” Richie knew he was talking out his ass, but he didn’t care. He liked the way that Eddie’s face would turn pink when he was annoyed and he had wanted to keep it up. “Why don’t you just sleep on the ground like a normal person?” 

Eddie closed his eyes and counted to five as he took a deep breath. “There are GERMS and BUGS AND DIRT. I saw an earwig on the ground here once AND a spider! I heard a story about bugs climbing in noses and mouths! I REFUSE to let that happen to me.” At this point Eddie had ran out of breath. 

“Poor baby.~” Richie cooed sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “So you were gonna let it happen to me instead? No thank you Eddie bear.”

“I’ll show you a ‘poor baby’ in a moment!” Eddie’s tone remained teasing as he spoke. He jumped onto the hammock and sprawled out, pushing both backpacks on the ground carelessly. He was determined to win this spat.

Richie laughed wholeheartedly before sitting on top of Eddie. “Now what’re you gonna do, Ed’s? I got you now!” He leaned backwards, his back now flush against Eddie’s waist. 

“Augh!! You’re so bony!” Eddie shrieked before hooking his leg over the taller’s arm, pinning it successfully.

Using his free hand, Richie flipped the two over, so he was on top of Eddie, pinning him down completely. “Ha! Now what?” It took extra strength to hold Eddie down, now that he was flailing.

“Richie! You’re gonna break the stupid hammock and we’ll both have to sleep on the disgusting ground!”

‘if I didn’t break it when I fucked your mom last night, it’ll be fine now!”

“Ugh! You’re so-“

“Charming? Sexy? Handsome? Yeah I know!”

Among the excitement of the room, between Eddie and Richie’s wrestling, and his own happiness, Eddie couldn’t stop laughing. Soon his laughing turned into slight snorting.

Beverly held her hands to her face and giggled. “Awe! It’s so cute!” She cooed. “Eddie snorts!” 

Taking the opportunity, Richie began to tickle Eddie. “Just like a little piggy!” He teased, when Eddie didn’t stop snorting he laughed even harder. “Oink oink!” He teased lightheartedly.

As the excitement ensued, Stan rolled his eyes and helped Bill set up their sleeping bags in the corner of the room.  
Before long Ben and Beverly were bundled up tightly in blankets talking to each other.  
It wasn’t long before Richie and Eddie had decided to share the hammock. They lay together, facing away from each other, back to back. A single blanket covered them both as it was too hot for anything else. 

_________________________

Everyone was asleep except for Eddie. The warm aura of the night and the sound of crickets kept him awake. The rich smell of dirt surrounded his senses and he could make out the steady breathing of Richie next to him. He enjoyed nights like this because it gave him time to think. Eddie had estimated that it was around one in the morning by the darkness of the hideout. He could barely make out the shapeless forms on the ground of his friends sleeping figures. Willing himself to go to sleep, Eddie squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to make himself tired. Though he couldn’t even muster an ounce of sleepiness. The moment he felt himself drifting, a sharp movement from behind him would stir him awake. Richie was tossing and turning in his sleep.

Eddie really liked Richie a lot. The way he could make him laugh without even trying, his gorgeous brown eyes, and his devious smile made Eddie’s heart skip a beat. His Mom had always told him it was wrong for boys to like other boys. She would sneer at the television screen and would send Eddie to his room whenever someone on the news had talked about being gay. It had hurt his heart to think about how hateful she was toward the people on TV, how would she react if she ever knew he had liked a boy? Especially a boy with messy hair and a nasty mouth, a boy who yelled swears and liked to play in the mud, a boy who obsessed over rock bands and girls? A sharp elbow to the side snapped Eddie out of his thoughts.

“Ow!” He hissed before looking over his shoulder. Richie was tossing and turning in his sleep. “Somehow, you don’t even have to open your mouth to annoy me.” Eddie grumbled to himself before turning over to face the other’s back. Richie’s shoulders rising and falling steadily. He wore a black T-shirt that sported the name of the band, REO Speedwagon and red flannel pajama bottoms. It was much different than Eddie’s yellow T-shirt and light grey shorts. Over the course of the summer, Richie had been helping his family with yard work and his shoulders were getting broader, he was getting more toned and tanned and Eddie definitely noticed. 

Closing his eyes again, Eddie listened to the other’s breathing and felt peaceful. He knew he could fall asleep if he focused on Richie, it was a weird Thought, but the fact his best friend was right there comforted him. Eddie nuzzled into Richie’s back and suddenly felt much sleepier. Just as he felt sleep drifting over him, another sharp movement woke him harshly.

“…Eddie…” Richie hissed, startling the shorter. “Are you awake?” His voice wasn’t really groggy like Eddie expected, but rather short and nervous.

“You’ve been awake this whole time?” Eddie complained. If he had known he would’ve made conversation or something. “Then why were you poking and nudging me?” He suddenly felt quite awake, and cranky too.

Richie didn’t respond though, he reached over the side of the hammock and unzipped his backpack, pulling out a mobile cassette player. He grabbed a cassette tape as well. He lay on his back as he fumbled with the mobile cassette player. Eddie caught a glimpse of the horrid handwriting on the cassette tape, labeled ‘Eddie Spaghetti Songs” in what looked like sharpie.

Suddenly Richie was a few inches from his face. His expression was difficult to read in the darkness, but Eddie could make out the lines of worry on his forehead, as well as the bags under his eyes. Richie had left his glasses in his bag, he looked almost like a different person. Without his glasses, his cheekbones looked much more defined. As if reaching out to touch a puppy, Eddie stroked Richie’s cheek gently and felt the other’s breathing stop for a second. Richie then pressed the play button on the mobile cassette player.

Time after Time by Cyndi Lauper began to play quietly. Richie smiled nervously. “I know you like Cyndi Lauper.” He whispered.

“Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick  
And think of you  
Caught up in circles  
Confusion is nothing new  
Flashback, warm nights  
Almost left behind  
Suitcases of memories  
Time after.~”

Confusion was all Eddie felt at first. He didn’t understand why Richie would make him a mixtape. Did he make one for the rest of the losers as well? 

“Sometimes you picture me  
I'm walking too far ahead  
You're calling to me, I can't hear  
What you've said  
Then you say, go slow  
I fall behind  
The second hand unwinds”

Richie stared into Eddie’s eyes, he was searching for something. He wasn’t sure what. Perhaps it was validation, a sign his feelings were not one-sided. At this point Richie would take anything.

“If you're lost, you can look and you will find me  
Time after time  
If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting  
Time after time”

This was Eddie’s favorite part of the song. Whenever it played on the radio he couldn’t help but to sing with it. It was a nice song and he loved the romantic messages in it. He would never admit it but he was a sap.

“I know you like that song.” Richie whispered, he looked like a different person without his glasses or his usual confidence. A more docile tone took up his aura as he focused more on the other. 

Eddie was slightly taken back. “I don’t know how you remembered.” It was a comforting feeling to know he was loved.

The next song to play was “As the World Falls Down” by David Bowie. Eddie remembered hearing it on the movie Labryinth when the losers had their last sleepover.

“There's such a sad love  
Deep in your eyes A kind of pale jewel  
Open and closed Within your eyes  
I'll place the sky  
Within your eyes…”

This time Richie was singing along with the music, he lay the mobile cassette player on his leg and used one of his hands to brush Eddie’s hair behind his ear.

“There's such a fooled heart  
Beatin' so fast  
In search of new dreams  
A love that will last  
Within your heart  
I'll place the moon  
Within your heart…”

“What’s the story with this song?” Eddie asked, breathlessly. The way Richie was so close to him and giving him such attention made his chest and stomach feel tight.

“As the pain sweeps through,  
Makes no sense for you  
Every thrill is gone  
Wasn't too much fun at all,  
But I'll be there for you  
As the world falls down…”

Richie took a deep breath before speaking. “It’s about loving someone so much…” He grazed his hand on the other’s cheek softly. “…Loving someone a whole lot, Eds.”

“Don’t call me that.” Eddie hissed back, he stuck his toungue out and blew a raspberry at Richie, earning a laugh in return.

The jumpy familiar beat of Whitney Houston’s song, “I wanna dance with somebody” began to play. Eddie giggled at it. “Why did you choose this one?” He whispered inquisitively.

“Oh, I wanna dance with somebody  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody  
With somebody who loves me  
Oh, I wanna dance with somebody  
I wanna feel the heat with somebody  
Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody!~”

Richie shrugged his shoulders up and down. “I remember you dancing to it during one of our sleepovers and I like to remember it.”

A pale pink dusted Eddie’s cheeks and he felt his heart skip a beat. He wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment or something else…

He hadn’t realized that Whitney Houston had faded out and was replaced with the Beatles. It was a well known song that he had heard once or twice.

“Oh yeah, I'll tell you somethin'  
I think you'll understand  
When I say that somethin'  
I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand”

Whatever breath Eddie had in his system had been knocked out. He felt like he couldn’t breath, but in a good way, which was a weird thing to say. He saw Richie hold his own breath as well. “I take it that you want to hold my hand?” Eddie teased lightheartedly.

Richie laughed nervously. “Maybe, what gave you that idea?” He felt a small surge of confidence as Eddie intertwined their fingers. 

“And when I touch you  
I feel happy inside  
It's such a feelin' that my love  
I can't hide  
I can't hide  
I can't hide…”

Eddie and Richie gazed into each other’s eyes unblinkingly. It wasn’t awkward, but rather a comfortable silence. It wasn’t until Eddie spoke up again that the silence was broken. “What about this song?” His voice remained hushed.

Richie took a moment to think. “Eddie, I want to hold your hand.” He squeezed his hand gently twice. “Uh, did you know if I squeeze you twice that means…” He looked down and gently squeezed Eddie’s hand. “…Love…” Squeeze. “…You…” Squeeze. He then stared back at the brunette, “What, uh… What do you think?”

He didn’t know how to respond. Eddie felt loved. No one had ever made him feel this way before and he liked it. He leaned forward and gently kissed Richie. He was clumsy at it, but it was the thought that counted. He had never kissed anyone before so he prayed he wasn’t terrible.

“Yeah, you got that somethin'  
I think you'll understand  
When I say that somethin'  
I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand  
I want to hold your hand.”

Richie ran his hands through Eddie’s brunette hair and pulled him closer. He had wanted this moment for so long so the fact that Eddie was the one initiating the kiss made his heart beat twice as hard. He knew he was loved back. 

“And when I touch you  
I feel happy inside  
It's such a feelin' that my love  
I can't hide  
I can't hide  
I can't hide…”

As Eddie pulled away he had visions of his mother sneering at him the way she did at the television and a cold sweat broke on his back. He loved Richie but he felt like he had broken the unspoken rules of his household. 

“Eddie are you okay?” Richie’s worried look hurt Eddie’s heart. “What’s wrong?”

He told himself that he would be strong, but the moment he opened his mouth a small sob came out. “Richie…I like you. I like you so much…but this is wrong isn’t it?” With each small sob his shoulders shook slightly. “What would my mother say? Or the school? We’d get picked on so much worse…”

Richie wrapped Eddie in a hug. “Hey it’s okay. Don’t cry Eds…” He moved back slightly and made eye contact with Eddie. “Listen it’ll be a secret, okay? No one will know but us.” He held his finger to his lip as he spoke. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

That seemed to comfort Eddie. His tears stopped pouring and he felt…safe. “Okay…and don’t call me that.” He hissed as he scooted closer to Richie, smearing his tears on the other’s band shirt. Richie wrapped his arms around the other and tightened his grip.

“We’ll be okay, alright?” 

Stan rolled over from his sleeping bag on the floor. Maybe now he could get some fucking sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> the commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIdIMmJwfx4 0:41
> 
> Song 1: Time after Time Cyndi Lauper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgOE67GvvIc  
Song 2. As the World Falls Down David Bowie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VppuD1St8Ec  
Song 3: I Wanna Dance With Somebody Whitney Houston https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caTGU4jS5LM  
Song 4: I Want to Hold Your Hand the Beatles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jenWdylTtzs


End file.
